Sealing means



March 18 1924. 1,486,947

W. M. BROOKS SEALING MEANS Filed June-l2, 1923 IN V EN TOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

siren staresinane warm in. moons, or sourn oesiien, sew-Jame.

SEALING Mnnns.

Application filed June 12, 1923. Serial No. 644,831.

at its central portion with the free endsthereof crossing each other to provide a main leg and a subsidiary leg. Subse-j quently the main leg is coiled around the subsidiary leg after the element to be sealed has been inserted within the loop. This main leg is provided with weakening notches at the point where it crosses the subsidiary leg so that if it is attempted to uncoil the main leg the metal becomes fractured.

. It has been found that if the initial coiling operation has been carelessly performed the bending operation does not always take place substantially at right angles to the notches and consequently the initial bending of the metal does not weaken it sufliciently to produce a break when an attempt is subsequently made to unbend it. Also, in opening the seal to insert the hasp or other element to be sealed, the parts, by careless handling, become distorted and the main leg is therefore not always bent during the subsequent coiling operation as nearly as possible in its own plane with the result that the subsidiary legextends unduly and can be used as a lever enabling the seal to be opened. 7

The main object and feature of this in vention is to provide means whereby these difliculties may be overcome, and the invention consists of the hereinafter described features or construction, a preferred embodiment of which is disclosed in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation. of a selflocking seal embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the arrangement ofthe parts after the subsequent coiling operation has been performed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate modifications of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sealing member is made out of a piece of wire bent into a loop by crossing the ends thereof substantially at right angles to each other to provide a mainleg 1 and a subsidiary leg 2. 3 indicates transverse notches in the main leg located at the point where it crosses the subsidiary leg, and 4 is a flattened portion on the opposite side of the main leg. The provision of this flattened surface 4 directs the subsequent bending of the main leg substantially at right angles to the plane of the notches so that the metal is properly weakened by the bending operation. In the drawings 5 indicates the coil formed by the pubsequent bending operation of the main In order to direct the coiling of the main leg as near as possible in its own plane over the subsidiary leg there are provided suitable confining means on the subsidiary leg. These means may take many forms. In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive'are provided a flattened surface 6 and another flattened surface 7 at opposite sides of the point where the main leg crosses the subsidiary leg. In Fig. 5 the subsidiary leg is provided with an offset portion 8 and a flattened surface 7, and in Fig. 6 the subsidiary leg is provided with an oflset and weakened portion 9 and a fiat surface 7.

I claim:

1. A sealing element comprising: a wire bent into a loop by crossing the ends thereof substantially at right angles to each other to provide a main leg and a subsidiary leg, said main leg having transverse notches on one side and a flattened surface on its opposite side at the point where it crosses the subsidiary leg to thereby direct subsequent bending of the main leg substantially at right angles to the plane of the notches.

2. A sealing element comprising: a wire bent into a loop by crossing the ends thereof substantially at right angles to each other to provide a main leg and a subsidiary leg, said main leg having transverse notches on one side and a flattened surface on its opposite side at the point where it crosses direct subsequent ceiling of the main leg the subsidiary leg to thereby direct subseas near as possible in itsown plane.

quent bending of the main legsubstantially Signed at New York city in the borough 10 at right angles tothe plane of the notches of Manhattan, county and State of New 5 and said subsidiary leg having confining York. 7' r means at opposite sides of the point where the two legs cross each other to thereby WINFRED M. BROOKS. 

